Carl Fricke is a forward-thinking executive with a history of driving strategic growth, managing risk, and leveraging assets across Finance, Operations, Engineering, Science and Technology. He serves as a trusted advisor to corporate leadership in entrepreneurial, private, and venture capital-backed companies, with expertise in building roadmaps for economic objectives, scaling operations, revitalizing stagnated revenues, and facilitating key business relationships. He has a proven track record of improving products, services, and profitability by aligning cross-functional teams towards common goals.

With a diverse background in strategic leadership, finance, and environmental science, Carl has held executive and advisory roles across various industries, including investment technology, software and e-commerce, automated and driverless transportation, electric scooters, air quality, environmental engineering, international food protein manufacturing, and global trade finance. He has occupied corporate and senior-level positions, and/or advised firms such as SumGrowth, SafeTraces, Clevr Mobility, Transit Control Solutions, CIMA Capital, Kirsen Technologies, and Isadra, by assisting them in leveraging AI, advanced analytics, strategic partnering, and market positioning to enhance performance, secure capital, and establish high-value partnerships, including venture firms and large corporations such as Siemens AG, UPS, S&P and CapTrust. He co-founded several startups, including a pioneering environmental engineering firm (Levine-Fricke, Inc.) which was acquired by Arcadis.

He holds dual M.S. degrees in Geology and Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and completed postgraduate business studies at UC Berkeley. He earned his B.S. in Geology from Augustana College.

A committed nonprofit and academic leader, he chairs the Investment Committee of the Geological Society of America, growing its portfolio from $24M to over $80M with top-quartile performance, as well as serves on the Finance, Audit, and Long-Term Planning and Budget Committees. He has served as a Trustee for the GSA Foundation, and on the University of Wisconsin’s Board of Visitors, including as Chairman.

His contributions have been recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Fellowship in the Geological Society of America, and the GSA Distinguished Service Award.